SsangYong Korando EV could use a 61.5 kWh battery pack from LG to have a driving range of 420 km on a single charge
We told you earlier about SsangYong working on an electrified SUV based on the Korando and it appears to have been spotted in Australia and several months back it was caught on camera undergoing cold weather testing in Sweden. It will be based on MESMA (Mahindra Electric Scalable Modular Architecture) developed by Mahindra and its powertrain will likely be manufactured at its EV facility in Chakan near Pune.
The modular architecture will get a Lithium-ion battery pack mounted underneath the floor for low centre of gravity, besides freeing up space for occupants with a flat floor. The platform will support multiple electric motor configurations. The test mule suggests that the exterior of the Korando Electric will resemble its regular IC-engined sibling with addition of new badges, charging port and perhaps subtle styling details.
The Korando E100 could make its global debut in the first half of next year and it will reportedly have best in class acceleration. It will likely be equipped with a 140 kW electric motor paired with a 61.5 kWh battery pack from LG, which is good enough to generate 420 km maximum range on a single charge on the NEDC testing cycle.
It will compete against the likes of Hyundai Kona Electric and in terms of size, the Korando could be bigger than its Korean rival. The SsangYong Korando EV could have its top speed limited to 150 kmph. It was previously said that the MESMA is capable of having a range of up to 590 km on the NEDC cycle. The Korando electric SUV could influence the eXUV300 showcased in its concept form at the 2020 Auto Expo.
The Korando E100 will make way for more electric SUVs within SsangYong’s range on a dedicated EV platform across different segments. The smaller Tivoli will also carry an electric powertrain in the near future and it could have similarities with the eKUV300 as well as both are based on the same platform. The eKUV300 will go on sale in India in the second half of the next calendar year.
It will likely be positioned to compete against the recently launched Tata Nexon EV. Expect it to be offered in multiple battery configurations to rival Hyundai Kona Electric and MG ZS EV in India as well.